I know this is an old thread but it is very informative. Thank you for it.
Based on your explanations, please clarify one thing please. On a custom order, If a leg is broken during shipping to the local dealer, does that mean the local dealer will repair it as best they can. I ask this because my dealer advised they have ordered a new ottoman, and are letting me keep the damaged one until the new one comes in. I am keeping protective covers over the leather ottoman, so there won't be any wear.
A broken leg (split or snapped, not dented) should never be repaired. they should be replaced. They will most likely swap out your ottoman and return the old one with the broken leg to the manufacturer for restoration/replacement of the leg.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
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Could you please explain what Taylor King’s lifetime policy actually means. Do they have free cushion replacements to the original owner for lifetime? Have heard that lifetime actually only means 5-7 years so was surprised when I heard that someone had Hancock and Moore make new cushions after 15 or so years.
"Lifetime Warranty" is typically the frame and springs, it always excludes the cover (leather or fabric) and most companies won't do the seat or back core inserts.
Hancock and Moore is unique in that respect in that they will replace seat and back cores to the consumer as long as they are the original owner with no time limit. However I am starting to see some abuse of that courtesy, with some customers requesting a full new set of cores every two years - and they DO NOT wear out in two years. It's not a written policy, to they can stop it any time they like. If there is too much abuse, this "perk" could go away. Most cores will go ten years easily in most instances.
Taylor King: Their warranty statement says "Limited Lifetime Warranty is offered on the frame, seat cushions, and spring construction against defective materials or workmanship.....original purchaser, residential use only" Then goes on to say after one year they will not be liable for transportation charges between the factory and selling dealer. The key works here are DEFECTIVE. That does not mean wear and tear and normal puddling so its their determination. Also, the cost to send cores is considerable - so the freight on a set can be several hundred dollars.
I had a customer last week that wanted to see about getting new cores for three seats on her Taylor King Sectional that was purchased in 2015. TK would not warranty and cost for (3) cores was $ 350 + $ 250 (appx) for shipping.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
Thank you so very much. We are in the process of pricing out sectionals and think we have it down between a Taylor King and a Temple. The price difference is approximately $2000 and wondering if the Taylor King is worth spending the extra money on? If someone needed to replace cushions after 3 years that is a bit concerning, though I know type of cushion and how people use a couch are factors in this. We are looking to purchase the spring down cushions. Do those hold up better than foam?
We also priced out a Huntington House sectional that does seem to have a true lifetime warranty on cushions but was priced even higher than TK. Thoughts?
There's a difference in cushions "breaking in" and needing replacement. 95% of the time, any cushion core from any premium maker is not broken down in less than ten years, they have just settled in and perhaps need to be removed from the casing and fluffed, then put back in. I myself have only replaced cores in my home on a 16 year-old Leathercraft daily use sofa, all my other furniture has been fine and some has been three + decades old. I would not over-focus on cushion cores as for most people its not something they will ever do a replacement on.
I used to be a Temple dealer and while there is nothing inherently wrong with their furniture, I dropped the line because most customers didn't like the way the pieces sat - nor did I.
Huntington House is owned by Century Furniture and has nice product, however I don't think the build is superior to Taylor King.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
I can't thank you enough for the information. We are looking into spring down cushions and a 10/90 back cushion (though after reading remarks about need to fluff all the time I may change my mind). Do you find that spring down cushions last as long or as well as the foam cushions? Both my husband and I found the spring down the most comfortable but if they break in too much over time I am worried they may be too soft. Do you find most people prefer spring down or foam?
A Spring Down Marshall unit is the core of choice for fabric sofas and typically a DuPont Qualax Foam for Leather. However its like an oil thread for cars - you ask fifty different people and you will get fifty different answers.
On the backs, Fiber Fill will keep its shape better than any of the down-filled options.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.
Thanks for such a detailed information, I've found many useful warranty tips here. But have one more question. This refers to online furniture stores too? I'm planning to buy some items for my living room but after reading some reviews on online furniture stores, e.g.Ashley Furniture reviews I'm not sure now... how do you think, is it really safe?
Furniture warranties are handled through the selling dealer, who then in turn goes back to the factory. Ultimately it comes down do that individual selling dealer. Ashley is low-tier product and poorly made in my opinion, but it is inexpensive so it depends on your expectations. Of course, if you are navigating to a site called "Pissed Consumer" as in your link it's pretty well certain all reviews will be rants.
The key with ordering on-line is that YOU have to pay to for the return trip for warranty issues if they are severe enough to require going back to the factory (this applies to my distance sales as well). No different than if you had to return your iPhone for service. However an iPhone would cost you $ 15 to ship back, a sofa might be $ 500 so a big difference there. Keep that in mind.
On high-quality furniture, warranty issues are maybe 1/4 of 1% (one in 400). Very low - I may get one a year with the product I sell. On low-end furniture such as Ashley, it's probably closer to 8 to 10%, but because of the high cost to return I imagine many people simply live with it and quite frankly the on-line sellers within that category are banking on that.
"You get what you pay for" pretty much holds true in the furniture industry.
Last edited by drcollie; 08-28-2019 at 11:41 AM.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.